WeatherTech Racing to Start Rolex 24 from Fifth Row

MacNeil, Keen, Davis and van Gisbergen focused on long run

DAYTONA BEACH,Fla. (Jan. 22, 2015) - WeatherTech Racing will start the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship series 53rd running of the Rolex 24 Hours At Daytona from the fifth row in GTD on Saturday.

Leh Keen (Charleston, SC) had the wheel of the black-and-white No. 22 WeatherTech Racing Porsche for the 15-minute qualifying session as teammates Cooper MacNeil (Hinsdale, Ill.), Davis (Athens, Ga.) and Shane van Gisbergen (Auckland, New Zealand) looked on. After three laps, the session was red flagged as the marshals retrieved the wheel of the No. 93 Viper. It was an all-out sprint as the team's returned to the 3.56-mile modified oval Daytona circuit to battle for top honors. Keen managed to put in a lap of 1:48.220 good for 10th.

"We kind of knew the Aston was going to be really fast. It was fast the whole last half of last year," Keen said. "We knew the Viper was going to be fast. It was a really messy session. I definitely made the best out of it, which was a challenge. Unfortunately, I didn't get what I wanted out of it. We're starting 10th. We know we've got a good car when it cools off. We struggled a little bit today with the setup because the temperatures are different than they were during the Roar test. The race is going to cool off. It's [the race] going to be more like the Roar test was. That's what it's all about - just get to the race. Now that qualifying is over, we can get ready for the race and try to go win this thing."

Team owner Alex Job is focused on the full 24 hours.

"The Aston Martin is fast," Job said. "We knew it would be up there along with the Viper, I just didn't think we would be a second off. The Porsche is a good car here over a full stint. Leh, Cooper, Shane and Andrew are comfortable with the way the car handles so we will focus on getting it just right to go 24 hours and see where we are on Sunday afternoon."

The TUDOR United SportsCar Championship Rolex 24 At Daytona will run Jan. 22-25. The start of the race will be broadcast Jan. 24 on FOX starting at 2 p.m. and continuing on the network until 4 p.m. ET. FOX Sports 2 will take over from 4 - 8 p.m. Then over to FOX Sports 1 from 8 - 10 p.m. From 10 p.m. - 7 a.m. it will stream live at IMSA.com and return to FOX Sports 1 for the finish from 7 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. IMSA Radio will carry the entire broadcast, link at IMSA.com.

The TUDOR United SportsCar Championship GTD (GT Daytona) Class is made up of some the world's most sophisticated cars, including the Porsche 911 GT America, Ferrari 458, Aston Martin, BMW Z4, Viper SRT and Audi R8. All GTD Class cars run on the spec Continental tire.

Alex Job Racing is one of the most successful teams in sports car racing with 70 wins (since 1995); including two Rolex 24 GT Class wins in 1999 and 2013. This record is supported by 48 pole positions and 106 podium finishes. The team has won five championships (GTC 2013, 2012, GT in 2004, 2003 and 2002) complimented by their two GT class wins at Le Mans. The team also boasts nine Sebring 12-hour wins.